


Ikigai: Reasons of being

by Maria56



Series: In Another Life [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe later on, Anbu Uzumaki Naruto, LIKE A LOT OF ANGST, M/M, Naruto is smart, Powerful Uzumaki Naruto, Time Travel, a bit sad at times, angsty, but the author unfortunately is dumb, cuz he deserved to be ANBU period, idk what goes through my mind either, makes you wanna keep Naruto in your pocket, not very much set on romance but eventually, so Naruto goes back to fix everything, the war ended everyone, turns into alternate universe after
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-21 12:47:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30022014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maria56/pseuds/Maria56
Summary: The war has wiped out everyone and everything, leaving behind only the three strongest. With all hope dwindling, Naruto decides on a gamble to set things right: travelling back in time to where it all began. But it's not so easy to build back a house of cards when all the wind wants is to tear it down. He must find shinobi noble enough and ways unpredictable enough to turn it all right. He must find the reason for being left alive on the battlefield.
Relationships: Uchiha Itachi/Uzumaki Naruto
Series: In Another Life [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2208468
Comments: 16
Kudos: 59





	1. When the war's over

**Author's Note:**

> My first fic here at AO3 and I'm nervous as heck. I'll prob make too many mistakes but please bear with me. Also, I have no idea if it was written already but I'm gonna write it anyway. Hope you like it!!

Harsh pants filled the empty silence of the large battlefield. Bodies lay astray, the scent of blood and flesh, mixed with the smell of sweat and tears poured through, putrifying the air. The moon was red, like a sole drop of blood in the vast expanse of the dark black sky. Time had stilled and left behind absolutely nothing, except the three males who stood rooted to the spot. 

Smoke surrounded them, ashes of comrades who had fallen prey to this game of life. Fires had died down and all that remained was an empty void. They stood huddled together, hushed pants and laboured breathing the only sign of life surrounding them. They had defeated the enemies, even the most powerful ones by sheer will and teamwork. But no one was there to see or acknowledge their glory. All that remained was rubble and the thousands of dead bodies of every loved one they ever had.

The war had ended, but at what cost?

The grey-haired male crouched down, blood still present around his eyes from the overuse of the Sharingan that wasn’t his own. He helped his wounded ex-student sit, blood staining his gloved hands. His clothes had many tears in them, his headband pulled up and his hair dishevelled, falling over his eyes. He painfully shut them tight, grief flooding into his veins. There was no way to undo this now, they had lost all that was important to them. Lost everyone important to them.

Sasuke let out a shudder, his wounds bleeding freely as his body started turning cold due to the lack of blood. He clutched his side, a sob leaving his lips. Maybe it was due to the physical pain, but Kakashi ruled it out. Sasuke wouldn’t show his weakness for a mere wound, The emotional pain was too much for him. He had lost his last chance at making everything right. He leaned against a boulder as Kakashi tried to stop the bleeding. He was worried about Sasuke, but more than that, he was worried about his other student.

Naruto stood motionless, staring at the corpses of his friends and comrades. He was frozen on the ground, eyes empty and all lustre gone from them. His clothes were ripped at the edges, fraying slightly as he took a step forward. His body felt numb, cold and absolutely empty as he watched the faces of everyone he loved, covered with their own blood, motionless on the ground. Dead. His fists clenched as he bit down on his lip, immediately drawing blood from them.

With slow steps, he walked towards the other two. They had won the war but lost everything else. Everything that mattered.

He bent down near Sasuke, holding out his hands and using his chakra to heal the wounds on the last Uchiha. The orange chakra glowed warmly, healing the wounds fast and cleanly. He softly placed his hand over the ravenette’s forehead, healing him to the best of his abilities and transferring his chakra. 

Looking up at Kakashi, the blonde healed him. He stood up, taking out two scrolls from his pocket. Kakashi looked on as the blond retrieved spare clothes from the smaller scroll. He gave them to the other two, taking out his own set of clothes. Kakashi’s eyes widened as he recognized the ANBU uniform. The blond quickly shed his clothes, pulling over his uniform as he fixed his hair. He wielded his staff, strapping his mask to his waist.

“You shouldn’t be so surprised, Kakashi-sensei.” He said quietly. “I have been an ANBU for quite some time now.”(1) The blond licked his lips before he bit his thumb. He quickly went through the hand signs, slapping the ground underneath them with a rather short ‘Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Jutsu)’. A huge cloud of dust and smoke blew up around him, nine tails fluttering lightly as the beast looked down at its vessel.

“Kurama, I have to ask you for a favour.” He said as he closed his eyes, the other scroll still in his hands. “Please look after them.” He said as he opened the scroll with a fluid motion, kneeling on the ground as he summoned a brush and ink. 

“You can’t possibly be thinking-” The fox demon started before he was cut off.

“Kakashi-sensei,” Naruto called out softly, the slight red light of the moon shining on his face. His eyes were a mix of blue and red, bordering on purple. “This might just be our last chance. I can’t guarantee that everything will turn out okay but…” He clenched his fists, turning his head away. “I don’t want to live in a world where all that is left is ashes and tears.”

Kakashi steeled his heart, readying himself for the idea Naruto was about to throw at them. ‘Their last chance of setting things straight.’ He just had to put his faith in his student again. He just had to trust Naruto again. And that wasn’t hard when all you saw when you looked at the boy were two blue orbs filled with innocence and determination. 

“Before the war, I was researching Forbidden scrolls and I found this one. I don’t know how much information is true, but if anything in this scroll is true, I might be able to save us.” Naruto said as he looked back at Kakashi. “It’s a Forbidden Jutsu to travel in time.” He breathed out as he locked eyes with Kakashi. The older male closed his eyes.

“At what cost?” He asked after a few seconds of silence. His tone was of resignation and his voice was stripped out of all its usual energy. “I don’t know yet,” Naruto answered truthfully as he waited for Kakashi to answer.

No matter how much Kakashi tried to deny it, the answer was clear. There was nothing to lose, as if they hadn’t already lost everything. Kakashi pressed his palm over his eyes, thinking. There was all to gain. Even if the mission failed, it would make no difference. Even if they lived, it would make no difference.

They were already dead.

“I’ll put my trust in you once again, Naruto. If there is someone who could pull this off,” Kakashi let out, opening his eyes to look at his student. “It would be you.” This was a gamble and Naruto had just pulled out his trump card. There was no second choice, no backup plan. This was a suicide mission with a low rate of success. A rate almost close to zero. He just had to put his faith in the male in front of him. The child of the prophecy. The only one who could bring peace.

Naruto nodded, letting out a shaky sigh as he made a few hand seals. The scroll lifted itself, hovering in the air as Naruto picked up the brush. With a few fearless strokes, he wrote seals all over the parchment. The words glowed as Naruto kept unravelling, writing. The soft glow grew larger and larger before all Kakashi saw was the light consuming the blond. The brush fell down as Naruto stepped onto the scroll, his hair swaying with the energy of the scroll. His body was illuminated. Looking at Kakashi, he gave his teacher a small reassuring smile before the vacuum pulled him in and he was gone.

Kakashi sighed, looking over to the giant beast who had curled up into itself. Kurama opened one of his eyes, looking at Kakashi. “Don’t worry about him. He’ll definitely find a way out.” He said simply before closing his eyes.

Kakashi nodded wordlessly, looking down at the sleeping Uchiha before he looked up at the tainted sky.

‘I sure hope he does.’

-  
-9 years ago-

A soft breeze flew over Konoha as the Sun started to bleed into a bright ball of orange. The land was covered in a layer of orange light, like a can of paint tipped over. The soft glow was warm and comforting. 

Shisui stood in front of Danzo. The older man clad in white was hunched over, peering at the Uchiha. Something in Shisui told him whatever awaited him wasn’t too pleasant but he didn’t budge. Instead, he opened his mouth. “What is it, Lord Danzo? It’s almost time for the assembly to start.”

“Even if you use your visual Jutsu on Fugaku to get the clan to cooperate,” Danzo spoke. “What if the village doesn’t change?”

Shisui spoke with confidence. “Lord Hokage has promised to make it change.”

But Danzo kept on. “Besides, someone like me, who’s always suspicious, will never change. What will you do then?” Shisui narrowed his eyes slightly before relaxing them. Something in the wind changed and he noticed it. The wind picked up speed.

“Even if Lord Third is satisfied, the distrust among the leaf will not go away.” He kept on, cutting off Shisui.

“But Lord Danzo-” “When the time comes, will you use your Kotoamatsukami on me too?” He lifted up his head, eyes locking onto Shisui’s.

“Your Sharingan…” He moved quickly. “Shall be in my safekeeping.” His hand shot forward but before it could come close to him, Shisui caught the elder’s wrist. “Forgive me.” He whispered as he locked Danzo in a Genjutsu, knocking him out. He turned.

“It’s just a Genjutsu. You’ll snap out of it shortly.” He took one step forward before he felt Danzo move. He barely had time to turn before Danzo was attacking him. The hits were fast and Danzo had fisted his hair, lifting him up. In slow motion, Shisui saw his hand move forward towards his eyes but in the next moment, he was on his back, a sickening crack splitting the air.

He opened his eyes to see an ANBU, blond hair swaying with the wind, standing in front of him with Danzo’s body lying in front of him. The elder was knocked out cold.

The mysterious ANBU turned to him, a fox masked fixed on his face as he walked up to Shisui. He bent down a little, offering his hand to the older. (2)


	2. To the doubts within

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto realises where he is and tries to stop the few things he can. Now, he must find a way to make sure everything goes okay. He must find a team he can lean on. But it's not so easy when the only shinobi that can help him are stuck in their own abysses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg you guys! i woke up to like 4 bookmarks and 4 kudos! thank youuuuu! it means so much! pls enjoy this chapter!!

The light sucked in Naruto, his body twisting as the vacuum gave away. He held his breath as Konoha appeared in front of him, the void suddenly filled with the loud chattering of the village. The village moved in a flash, everything reversing in front of him as he watched with wide eyes. There was a sudden glitch before he felt like he was falling down. He braced his body, turning midair as he did a few flips, landing on his feet.

“Kurama,” He said quietly, waiting for the demon to respond. The beast grunted in response. “Where are we?” Naruto asked, fully standing up and brushing off the dust from his clothes. The tailed-beast took a few seconds before he spoke up. “This is Konoha 9 years ago.”

The blond looked around, studying the village he loved so much. He felt relief flood into his veins as he realized that the jutsu had actually worked. ‘9 years ago...huh…’ he thought as he looked up at the sky. He would have been barely 6 at this time. The Sun had started setting, the sky turning from blue to a bright orange. 

His eyes widened as he realized what could probably be happening at this time. He quickly looked around himself, fixing his mask over his face as he broke into a run. He jumped over the roofs, making sure he wasn’t visible to the people. He inwardly reprimanded himself for not putting on a disguise. His blond hair was a dead giveaway.

The building came into view and his eyes widened as he spotted the ravenette. Hiding his chakra, the blond ANBU stood in the shadow, waiting for the perfect opportunity to jump in. He watched as Danzo leaned forward, his hand outstretched but was stopped by the Uchiha. But Naruto realised something was wrong when the raven-haired shinobi turned away, trying to walk away.

Danzo launched his attack and Naruto channelled his chakra to his feet. Danzo reached forward to take Shisui’s eyes and in a swift motion, Naruto jumped out, launching a chakra infused kick to the older’s head. Danzo fell on his back, knocked out due to the intensity of the attack.

Naruto turned, walking over to the Uchiha. His heart soared as he realized he was about to meet one of his idols, one of the people who inspired him to join the ANBU. He offered the older male his hand, slightly leaning down. Shisui looked at him, studying him before he held onto the blond’s hand. Naruto pulled the male up before he sensed the chakra of Danzo’s ROOT forces.

“We need to get out of here.” The blond said quietly as he pulled the male along with him, jumping away from the place and heading to a more secluded area. Shisui watched him, trying to recognize the ANBU member.

“Are you a new recruit?” He asked after a few moments of silence. Naruto smirked under his mask before he spoke up. “Not really but it’s a long story.” He stopped in front of a tree, making sure there was no one around to hear them. “Uchiha-san, I needed to talk to you.” He said as he turned to face the older. 

Shisui was taller than him by at least 5 inches and Naruto had to look up at him. His skin was pale like every other Uchiha and his inky black hair swayed slightly. His eyes were black, like orbs of polished ebony, staring right through one’s soul. He wore his standard Uchiha attire, with his tanto strapped to his back. He had a calm demure, studying Naruto closely as the younger let out a small sigh.

“But I’m sure it can wait till the assembly is finished.” The blond said, looking up at the sky. Shisui followed his gaze, noticing that the sky had turned a bit darker. “I won’t hold you back from the Clan Assembly, Uchiha-san. But I must tell you,” He said as he moved forward. “Please try to postpone your plan. Just a few days will do. Please hold them back a few more days and I promise you, you’ll find another way to prevent this.” 

And with that, the blond disappeared. Shisui stared at the place where the male had been previously. He knew about Shisui’s plans. He knew what he was about to pull on the clan. Shisui narrowed his eyes. He’d have to find out who this mysterious blond was.

-

Itachi looked up as he heard the shuffle of leaves. He was just returning from his mission when he had felt faded chakra signatures around him. The chakra had been warm, anything but suspicious but he was still high on alert. He activated his Sharingan, making sure he could sense everything as he moved forward towards his destination.

A person landed in front of him and he stopped, shocked that he hadn’t sensed the presence before. The person was an ANBU, with blond hair and a fox mask. Itachi stilled. He had never seen a person like this before. The male stood up to his full height, standing a bit shorter than Itachi. The male’s eyes were hidden but his sleeveless shirt made his ANBU tattoo visible.

“Uchiha-san, I must let you know that your presence at the assembly is of utmost importance. Everyone is waiting for you there. Please reach there as soon as you can.” The tone of the male was strained as if he was holding something back. Itachi raised an eyebrow, suspicion clear in his eyes. The other male noticed it because he moved towards the taller male. “Please, believe me, Uchiha-san. This is very important.” He pleaded and Itachi froze.

The male had bright blue eyes, clear as the ocean. Something clicked in Itachi’s mind as he nodded once, channelling chakra into his feet as he made to jump. The male stopped him, stepping closer to him and offering him one end of his staff. 

“It will take time. Please hold this end.” He said softly as Itachi reached out, holding the staff. There was a small glitch and soon the forest disappeared. Itachi found himself behind the assembly hall, the other male a few steps away. They locked eyes for a second and before Itachi could say something, the male disappeared into thin air.

He was left there, staring at the place the male stood, trying to understand what had happened. He had to find out who this mysterious male was.

-

Naruto stood over the Hokage monument, his staff back in its place. His hair blew slightly with the wind as he pushed it back. His wounds from the war had healed and now, he felt slightly better. His mind drifted away to the two people he had left behind and he hoped nothing bad had happened to them.

‘What could possibly happen? Everyone was already dead.’ He thought bitterly, biting his lip.

“Kurama.” He called out softly, sitting down on the rocks as night descended over them. This moon was grey and it lifted a weight off Naruto. The sky was clearer, there was no smoke, no fire and most importantly, no dead bodies. 

“What is it, brat?” The demon grumbled in response. “Will this work out?” The blond asked, burying his head in his arms. The demons sighed, feeling the doubt his vessel was feeling. He reached out from his cage, pushing back the boy’s hair away from his forehead in their mindscape.

“Just like how that brat Kakashi said, if there is someone who can pull this off, it would be you. They put their trust in you, just believe in yourself.”


	3. Coming clean

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shisui and Itachi realize that the mysterious ANBU they met was the same person. They reach the valley of end to meet up with the person who seemed to know more than one was supposed to. But a surprise awaits them at the statue of the First Hokage. Will they agree to help the blond? Or will the meeting come down to a deadly battle?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i honestly do not know what i write T^T. i just jump up on random ideas and watch them grow alongside me. also, I'm sorry if there are any mistakes T^T. thank you for such a positive welcome to this site, you guys! i hope you enjoy this chapter!!

The two statues stood tall and proud, the slight grey glow of the sky over them. A flash of blond made its way over to the top of the statue of the first Hokage, finding a somewhat hidden spot. The ANBU stood near the trees, his mask snug on his face and his staff strapped to his back. He wore a sleeveless black shirt with black shinobi pants, fingerless gloves over his hands and black sandals. His ANBU mark was visible on his bicep and his eyes were closed, searching for the Chakra signatures that were soon to follow.

Last night had been the Uchiha Clan assembly and till now, Naruto was safe to say that the two Uchiha had actually listened to him. The village was still the same, without a bad omen looming over them. But that wasn’t what the blond was worried about.

He had just disappeared after talking to the Uchihas and he was sure they were suspicious of him. After all, he knew more than anyone was supposed to know about their ‘plan’. He figured that the two had let each other know about the ‘mysterious blond ANBU’. He hadn’t put much thought into his actions at the moment, too carried away by the adrenaline rush he had found himself in, after the war.  
He just hoped they would listen to him and help him. He really had no idea what he would do if the prodigies refused. He shook those thoughts aside, focusing his attention back on sensing the chakra signatures he was waiting for.

-

-Previous night-

Itachi stood behind the large building, looking up at the sky. There had been something eerily nostalgic about the ANBU he had met a few hours ago. He tried to remember where he had seen the shinobi before, but there were blank spaces in his memory, making him frustrated.

Before he could think anymore, footsteps approached him and he stood up straight. The older male walked towards him, a small smile over his face. Shisui stood next to him and for a while, the two basked in the night glow and the silence. 

“Itachi.” The older said, his face still looking up at the sky. “I met a strange person today.” He said and Itachi whipped his head to look at the older. ‘It couldn’t be.’ But the words were pouring out of his mouth before he could stop them.

“A blond ANBU?”

-

Naruto smirked slightly as he felt the Chakra signatures nearing. He opened his eyes, pushing himself away from the tree he had been leaning on. His heartbeat was loud in his ears and he was sure they would feel his resolve crumbling. He sucked in a breath as he realized this was his last chance. Last chance to set everything right. With a start, he realised that he had two people counting on him from a different dimension. He couldn’t back away now.

The two prodigies stopped in front of him, a few feet away and Naruto walked up to them. He looked at the two Uchihas, the best of this generation. His only hope. 

Shisui and Itachi were in their ANBU uniforms with their masks placed over their faces. The taller of the two stepped forward, looking straight at Naruto as if waiting for him to spill. The blond looked back before he bowed down, showing his respect to the other shinobis. Shisui followed him, his guard still up. And honestly, who could blame him? Naruto would have done the same.

“Uchiha Shisui-san, Uchiha Itachi-san,” The blond greeted as soon as he stood straight. “I need your help.” He looked at the other two waiting for an attack. When nothing happened, he carried on.

“You might not believe me, but I must tell you this. I come from 9 years into the future.” He took a breath, steeling his nerves. “The hidden villages are- were fighting a war. We managed to defeat our enemies, but-” He clenched his fists, biting his lips. “But at the cost of almost the citizens and shinobis. As far as I knew, there were only 3 survivors from Konoha.” 

A wild breeze blew over them as Naruto waited for the other two to respond. Shisui spoke and Naruto heaved out a sigh. 

“How do you expect us to believe you? You’re not on any ANBU records and you just appeared out of nowhere.” The older said and Naruto sensed him getting ready to attack. He stood straight, his eyes clearly in their view. He knew it would come to this and he had been prepared.

“You don’t really have to ask me that.” He spoke softly. “You can see it yourself.” He looked straight at Shisui, making it clear what he was referring to. He heard a loud grumble from the beast inside him but he chose to ignore it, waiting for Shisui to activate his Sharingan. In a matter of a few seconds, Naruto felt the older push his way inside his mind and he relaxed. There was nothing to hide from this shinobi.

If someone had asked Naruto who he trusted the most at that moment, he would’ve definitely taken the name of Shisui. 

Kurama roared as he felt the Uchiha look straight through Naruto. The cage was still closed and Naruto stood in front of it, making sure Shisui was kept well away from the nine-tails. The Uchiha looked on with shock on his face, his eyes betraying his mask. Naruto quickly led him to his memories, giving him a glimpse of everything that had happened in Konoha in a matter of days, months and finally, years.

He felt a pull and soon he was back, standing right in front of the two Uchihas. He resisted the urge to bow down and plead them to help, silently praying instead as he waited for an answer. Shisui stood silent for a few minutes before he took off his mask. Itachi sensed the silent agreement and took off his own mask. The two waited for the blond ANBU to do the same.

Naruto’s hand reached forward towards his face, detaching the fox mask. He closed his eyes as he pulled it away, lowering his hand as another harsh breeze blew. With a final flicker of hope, he opened his eyes and spoke.

“I’m an ANBU from the future,” He said as he looked at the duo. “Uzumaki Naruto.”


	4. Trust me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shisui and Itachi confront Naruto as he tells them about his plans to stop the Coup and the possible massacre. He asks for their help before he stands in front of the Third Hokage, asking for his cooperation in his mission. Will the Hokage believe him? Or will Naruto witness his last chance to save everyone go up in ashes?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a bit longer than before hehe. but really! thank you guys so much for the support! i update this at night and wake up to such beautiful reactions! thank you so much! i hope you enjoy this chapter! we start with action in the next chapter so pls don't worry about there being no action till now.

Kakashi opened his eyes slowly, the slight blur in front of him getting clearer. The smoke and fire had extinguished and the night had fallen. It was the crack of dawn, just a little light setting the world alight. Around him, everything was a deep, greyish blue. He blinked a few times before he realized where he was.

Kurama had made the two lie on his tails and was sitting peacefully. Kakashi smiled slightly as he looked at the massive demon. He was sure Naruto had worked his magic on the large fox, making him his friend. He looked over at Sasuke to see a slight layer of Red chakra surrounding him.

Kurama grumbled, opening his eyes as he looked at Kakashi. “The brat will kill me if something happened to his best friend and teacher.” He spoke without malice as he turned away. Kakashi had no doubts.

The copy-nin looked up at the sky, hoping his student was alright, wherever he was.

-

Itachi stared at the ocean blue eyes in front of him, his breath caught in his throat. _‘Yondaime (Fourth Hokage)’_. That’s all he could think as he looked at the shinobi in front of them. He had spiky blond hair, a few strands falling over his forehead protector and framing his face perfectly. His eyes were pools of blue, almost identical to the Fourth. He had a sharp jawline, a little bit of baby fat on his cheeks and three whisker-like marks over them. 

_‘Uzumaki Naruto?’_

Shisui was the first to voice out his thoughts. “Is there anything else to prove that you indeed are who you claim to be?” He said calmly and Itachi could sense that the other was slowly trusting the blond. He looked back at the shorter male, waiting for him to say something. The blond thought for a few seconds before he shed his ANBU jacket, keeping it near his feet. He looked back at Shisui.

“Shisui-san, I assume who know what happened during the Kyuubi attack?” He asked, receiving a nod from the older male. He took a deep breath, unticking his shirt and pulling the hem towards his mouth. He held the hem between his lips as his fingers alighted with Chakra. He placed them on his stomach and the two Uchiha’s eyes widened.

There, on perfectly smooth tanned skin of the blond’s abdomen, appeared an intricate seal. A seal known only for one purpose and one person. A jinchuriki. The blond looked up at the Uchihas, letting them study the seal with their Sharingan. He let the fabric go after a few moments, tucking it back in and wearing his jacket.

“I trust you, Naruto-kun,” Shisui said with a small smile and Naruto’s shoulders relaxed. “What help do you need from us?” He asked the boy as the younger bowed down to him. He stood straight after a minute, His eyes were glossy and a small smile was fixed on his face.

“I need you to help me set things right from the start.” He said as another harsh wind blew around them as if it knew about the adventure the three were going to embark on.

“Thank you so much for not using your Genjutsu on the clan leader, Shisui-san. Thank you for trusting me.” The blond said as they all sat in a small circle on top of the statue. His gaze was warm and his face held gratitude towards the two ninjas. The 16-year-old smiled and nodded at him. Naruto took a breath before he spoke.

“We need to fix the relations between the Uchiha Clan and the village before anything else. If things go this way, it will end up in the same horrible way.” He closed his eyes before continuing. “Your real plan, Shisui-san, was to entrust your eye to Itachi-san after Danzo’s attack.” The two looked at each other, silently noticing that Naruto didn’t use any honorifics for the elder.

“After that, Itachi-san would go on to awaken and eventually massacre the Uchiha clan.” Itachi’s eyes widened at this and he looked at his hands. _‘Murder my own clan?’_ He stared at the blond as he kept speaking. “He would then join the Akatsuki, a criminal organisation with S-ranked missing nins. But it doesn’t stop there.” He opened his eyes, looking at the two. “Sasuke would grow a deep hatred for you and make it his goal to kill you and avenge the clan and he would be lured by Orochimaru. You’ve seen my memories, you would know what happens next.” He finished as he waited for their reaction.

“So in the end, it would all go in vain,” Itachi said as he pondered over Naruto’s words. The blond nodded. “That’s why we need to undo this first.” He said as he took out a scroll from the small seal over his wrist. “We can use this to our advantage.” He opened the scroll, turning it towards the other two.

“There was only a few ways to stop this without a massacre.” He listed out the methods. “I can get the Hokage to agree but we need the Clan Head’s approval too.” Bright blue eyes looked at Itachi and he nodded, his face determined.

-

Naruto looked around once before he jumped towards the balcony of the building, his face covered by his fox mask. He held onto the edge of the iron bar, swinging over it and entering the Hokage building. He had masked his Chakra and worn his full uniform, making it easier to sneak in. He quickly surveyed his surroundings before he made his way over to the door. He knocked on it once, waiting for the voice of the Hokage. At the short command, he walked in, noticing that there were no other ANBUs in the room.

His heart twisted as he looked at the older male. He missed the man more than he had admitted to himself and now, watching his work behind his desk, Naruto felt the pain he had suppressed for years. He dropped down on one knee to greet the man.

“Hokage-sama.” He spoke, his voice soft. Hiruzen looked at him for a moment before his eyes narrowed. Naruto sensed the change and slowly took off his mask. He watched as the Hokage’s eyes widened and he stood up in alarm. “I’m sorry about all this but I really need your help.” Naruto said as he waited for the man to speak.

“Who are you?” Hiruzen asked, his hands ready to create the hand signs. Naruto stood up, looking at the male.

“I’m Uzumaki Naruto from 9 years into the future. I don’t have much time. I really need your help, Ji-chan.” The nickname slipped before Naruto realized it and the next moment he was on his knees, bowing down in front of the older male. “The 4th Shinobi War killed everyone, leaving 3 of us behind. Please, I need your help to set things right.” He pleaded as Hiruzen watched.

Hiruzen found himself looking at the boy and noticing the strong resemblance to Minato. There was no other way someone knew of the blond boy’s legacy or what he would look like in the future. He decided to test the boy before placing his trust. He trusted easily, Hiruzen noted with an ache in his heart, and it always cost him.

“What proof do you give to prove your identity?” He asked as the blond looked up. Naruto stood up and just as he had done with the Uchiha duo, he showed Hiruzen his seal. “There was another seal on this one and it was removed by Jiraiya-sensei before the chunin exams.” He said calmly, waiting for a reaction.

Hiruzen’s eyes were open wide as he looked at the seal and back at the face of the boy. He cleared his throat before he settled on his chair. “Tell me what happened, Naruto.” He said, the name sounding foreign towards the older version of the boy Hiruzen was used to seeing.

“Yes, sir.”


	5. Mending ties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously: Shisui, Itachi and Naruto devise a plan to prevent the coup d'etat and the massacre. Naruto sneaks into the Hokage Tower to meet Hiruzen, the Third Hokage. He reveals his identity to the man and pleads for his help. But will the Hokage trust the ANBU? Will Naruto be able to stop the misfortune before it hits Konoha? Can the Uchiha Clan and village mend their relationship?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i honestly do not know what i wrote T^T but there is positivity and action. yes, I really want Danzo to just die and be over with so here is the first half of the fight. also lmaooo imagine Danzo just going "fuuton" against Naruto. i find it so funny haha. i hope you like the chapter! and thank you soooooo much for all the beautiful comments! i love reading them in the mornings!

“And that’s what I’ve come up with.” Naruto finished as he looked at the man sitting in front of him. The night was dark, the stars barely visible against the midnight canvas. He waited for the other’s response as he played with his fingers in his lap. He had told the Hokage everything, even his plan about the Uchihas and now, he waited for the older male to either trust him or…

He didn’t want to think about what would happen if the man didn’t trust him. 

Hiruzen took a puff of his pipe, blowing it out before he looked at Naruto. “Very well. Please put on your mask, Naruto. I assume your ANBU name is Fox?” He asked as the blond nodded back. He wordlessly put on his mask, waiting for any other instruction. The older male stood up, going to his door and unlocking it. A few ANBUs rushed to him.

“Please ask Uchiha Fugaku and the other clan elders to come to the Hokage’s office..”

-

Naruto swallowed a lump in his throat as he saw the Clan Leader enter the room. Following him were a few older people that Naruto quickly recognised as the elders of the village and the Uchiha Clan. He clenched his fists as another male entered, making the blond bite down on his lips.

_‘Shimura Danzo’_

The male looked smug for some reason and Naruto almost growled out in annoyance. That old coot was always this way. He calmed himself as he waited for Hiruzen to say something. The Hokage asked them all to sit, Naruto standing next to him. The others looked at the ANBU before they sat down at their respective seats. From the corner of his eyes, Naruto noticed Danzo looking at him in suspicion but he paid the man no heed.

“Thank you for coming on such short notice.” The Hokage said as he sat down with them. The elders merely nodded, letting the male continue. “First and foremost, Uchiha Fugaku-san, I would like to apologize to you and the Uchiha clan for the way the village has been treating you since the Kyuubi attack.” He said and Naruto felt a weight lifting off his shoulders.

“We had no proof against you yet we treated you as if it was your fault. I ask for your forgiveness on the behalf of the village.” Naruto watched as Fugaku looked at Hiruzen with wide eyes, nodding slowly. He noticed the seething look on Danzo’s face and smirked. “I feel ashamed to have taken these measures to isolate you when it was our ancestors who found this village _together.”_ Naruto’s smirk widened as Danzo got more upset by the second. His hunch had been correct.

“I hope we can all live together happily, as a village, and not as enemies. Fugaku-san, I would be glad to have you be a part of our village elders along with other clan leaders. It might be a small step towards a healthier relationship between the village and the Uchiha clan. Please let me know your answer to this proposal.”

The Uchiha Clan Leader nodded thoughtfully. “I have no problem, Hokage-sama. It would be my pleasure to serve the village in any way I could.” He said as he looked at Hiruzen. The older nodded back as he turned to look at Danzo. 

“As for you, Danzo, may I please know what you wanted from Uchiha Shisui?” Hiruzen asked and the other male froze in his seat. He slowly turned to look at Naruto, giving him a glare full of hatred. Naruto could practically sense the Killing Intent Danzo wanted so badly to release. The man stayed silent and Hiruzen stood up.

“Fox, please escort him to his newest address. The torture and Interrogation room.” Hiruzen said as he looked at Danzo. “I let you go off with your plans for too long, Danzo. I guess I wasn’t ready to realize just how cruel your plots were.” He said as Naruto walked towards Danzo, asking him to follow the ANBU.

Danzo clenched his fist, silently following after Naruto. They descended the stairs, walking towards the more secluded place of the tower. Naruto waited for the male to pull out a cheap trick to get away from the ANBU. And he was not disappointed.

Naruto sensed the Kunai before he saw it. He slowly turned to look at Danzo, the man a few steps away from him. Naruto stood at ease, waiting for an attack by the elder. It was so easy to read the man, Naruto sighed in pity as he took his fighting stance. If Danzo wanted a fight, he would get one.

The man made a few quick hand signs, charging at Naruto as the blond smirked under his mask. He waited till Danzo was close to him before he vanished, appearing right behind the elder, planting a bone-cracking kick on the man’s head. Danzo skidded to the floor and Naruto took out his kunais. He turned around in a second as the man appeared behind him, throwing his kunais straight at Danzo. Danzo dodged them, getting ready for another attack as he found himself surrounded.

“Shadow clones?” He asked dumbfounded as he looked at the hundreds and thousands of copies of the ANBU. Danzo started fighting the clones, making them all disappear with a poof. “You brat.” Danzo growled out as he pulled away the bandage from his arm, revealing his ‘collection’ of Sharingans. Naruto looked at the man with disgust as he got into his fighting stance, the clones’ information coming back to him.

Danzo made hand signs as he got ready to attack. With a deep breath, he fired the bullets of wind. “Fuuton: Shinkuugyoku!” Naruto looked at him for a second before he spoke. “Are you kidding me?” He dodged the bullets as he made his own set of hand signs. “Fujinheki.” There was a giant swirling stream around Naruto as the rotating wind repelled all the bullets, sending them back to Danzo.

The man shielded himself as Naruto stood watching. His eyes were a dangerous hue of purple and his pupils were turning thinner by each second. He let out a low chuckle, a stream of Killing Intent spreading around them as it enveloped Danzo. The male stood frozen as Naruto disappeared and reappeared behind him. He could feel the ANBU’s breath on his neck.

“Don’t shiver now. It doesn’t matter anymore.” The blond said as he moved a step back. “I’m going to end you right here, right now.” He said as he pulled out his staff, swinging it once as it released a gust of air. A few of the ‘eyes’ on Danzo’s hand were closed already and he knew that he had to be fast.

He charged at the male, swinging his staff with expertise as Danzo tried to block it off as much as he could. But Naruto was faster and he was successful in landing a few blows. The two males charged at each other as Danzo quickly held Naruto’s wrist before another punch sent him flying back.

“Always playing with people’s lives and emotions as if it’s a joke. It was your idea, wasn’t it? The massacre?” The blond asked as he charged his staff with his chakra, a blue glow falling over it. Danzo stared at him in shock. “H-How do you know?” He asked as he backed away, pulling out a few kunai. Naruto scoffed.

“It doesn’t matter, does it?” He asked as he charged forward, swinging his staff as he tried to attack the older. The man smirked and Naruto halted. He felt a burning sensation over his skin as a seal spread over his body in thick lines. Danzo watched smugly as Naruto froze in place. “You’re right.” The man said, walking forward as he easily took the staff from the blond’s hands. “It won’t matter if you die!”

He swung the staff backwards to gain momentum and then it came crashing down.


	6. The First Objective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the Previous chapter: Hiruzen comes clean and apologizes to the Uchihas, giving them their rights back. Naruto is asked to lead Danzo to the Interrogation Chambers but he starts to attack Naruto, which ends up becoming a full-blown fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry i couldn't upload a chapter. my house was being painted and it was an absolute mess. also, updates might be slow as I start school soon and now, I'm a high school senior. i hope it's not too bad T^T please enjoy this chapter! I have a oneshot under construction that I might upload soon so please look out for it! thank you for reading!!!

Hiruzen heard the commotion from below, thinking back to what Naruto had told him. _“If there was anyone capable of planning a massacre, would it really be someone from the Uchiha Clan? The same Clan that has been taking all this shit and still respecting the village and its inhabitants?”_

He closed his eyes, resting his head against the headrest of his chair. If there was anyone who he could trust, it would be Naruto. The boy was exceptional. He wasn’t a born genius but from what he had been told about the Konoha in the future, he could be sure that Naruto was the child of prophecy. He just had to trust him.

The building was empty, as he had instructed. Now all he had to do was pay attention to what Danzo was saying and catch him red-handed.

-

_“It doesn’t matter, does it?” He asked as he charged forward, swinging his staff as he tried to attack the older. The man smirked and Naruto halted. He felt a burning sensation over his skin as a seal spread over his body in thick lines. Danzo watched smugly as Naruto froze in place. “You’re right.” The man said, walking forward as he easily took the staff from the blond’s hands. “It won’t matter if you die!”_

_He swung the staff backwards to gain momentum and then it came crashing down._

Danzo slowly opened his eyes, groaning as he sat up, another Sharingan on his hand closing. He looked around at the rubble and dirt, smoke thick in the air. He coughed as he stood up, looking around for Naruto. He tried to think about what could have happened. He was sure he had hit the blond.

His eyes widened as he remembered. There was a red Chakra, leaking from the ANBU, protecting him. He felt shivers as he frantically looked around. That Chakra was awfully similar to the Nine-tails. But it couldn’t be. The Nine Tails’ vessel was a 6-year-old boy. Right?

His eyes widened as he barely dodged a kunai. He turned back to look at the ANBU. His eyes were now red, his gaze murderous. “I thought of letting you live. But you’re just trash.” The blond disappeared and reappeared in a heartbeat, attacking Danzo. A kick sent him propelling back as he coughed out blood. 

_Who the hell was he fighting?_

The blond let out a small laugh as he looked straight at Danzo. “Five more to go, huh?” He said as he stood at ease. Danzo looked at his hand to see just five of the eyes open. He moved to create hand signs but it was too late.

Naruto held his staff, swinging it once with force as he whispered. “Fuuton: Tatsu no Oshigoto (Wind release: Severing Pressure).” A large tornado ripped through the sky, moving towards Danzo as he tried to finish his hand seals. Naruto smirked as he noticed them, transferring his staff to his other hand as he quickly took out his kunai.  
Danzo disappeared, reappearing behind him as the man tried to attack Naruto. But the blond was faster. Before Danzo could move, he had a slash across his chest, wind Chakra cutting through as the ANBU’s kunai glowed blue. The black-haired man quickly moved back, falling down to the ground at the impact.

“Four.”

Danzo worked on his seals before Naruto could attack. With a cry, his hand was turned towards the ground and a seal formed over it. “Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Jutsu).” The Baku appeared, crushing everything under it as the ground trembled. Naruto looked up, his mask cracking.

The blond ANBU grit his teeth as he waited for Danzo to attack. It was another wind release attack and Naruto smirked at the easily readable moves. He created hand seals as he concentrated Chakra. “Fuuton: Kyushu no Tosshin (Wind Release: Assasin’s Rush).” A blast of wind propelled him into the air, sending the Baku flying as Danzo got caught in the rush. Naruto turned midway in the air, his staff glowing blue as sharp blades of Chakra coated it. 

He closed his eyes as he fell through, opening them right before he reached the ground. In quick movements, he was in front of Danzo, his eyes back to blue as he attacked the man’s right arm, successfully slicing it. Danzo cried out as he fell to his knees. Before he could regenerate, Naruto created his hand seal, a clone appearing behind him. 

He leaned over Danzo, his hand on the older’s covered eye. “This isn’t yours to use, you fool. I can’t believe how low you could fall for a rivalry and a stupid desire. You killed a whole clan just because of your sick mind.” He emphasised his words as he stepped forward, his kunai right under Danzo’s neck.

“You wanted to make Konoha great but you didn’t realise that you were the only reason why Konoha was suffering. I hope you find your salvation in hell.” Naruto said as he moved to cut Danzo’s throat but froze. 

_Izanagi._ He realized as the Danzo in front of him materialised before there was a small explosion. Naruto smirked, the bottom part of his ANBU mask falling to reveal his smirk. Danzo stood up, his knees weak as he tried to escape. The blond looked at him for a few seconds before he sighed.

“This is the end.” He whispered as he created a clone, the chakra in his hand swirling. The rest of his mask fell, pieces shattering. He was covered in blue chakra, a large gust of wind surrounding him. 

In a second he was in front of Danzo and in the next, Danzo’s abdomen was leaking blood. Naruto jumped back as the man coughed out. The older male released his seal four black symbols appearing over his chest as Naruto looked on. He had to do something fast. There were in the heart of the village. If anything or anyone got withing Danzo’s range, it would be sealed away with him.

Naruto looked up, his eyes determined as he ran towards Danzo. There was no way else.  
-

Itachi and Shisui jumped from tree to tree, swiftly dodging any branch in their way as they made their way into the forest. After coming to know about the fight, the two had tried to look for Naruto but with no luck. The building next to the Hokage tower was destroyed, rocks and rubble standing in its place.

The two shinobi looked at each other before they split up, taking two routes into the forest. The tree cover was thick and there was no clearing for as far as they could see. Shisui felt a slight Chakra signature and his eyes widened. He turned towards the faint sign, running faster as he sent out a crow to Itachi.

-

Naruto panted heavily as he looked at the place where Danzo had been. In the last few seconds, he had managed to teleport the two of them out into the forest, in a clearing. The Reverse Four Symbol Seal had managed to suck in his staff but in a pinch, Naruto had stepped back, watching as the sphere was sealed away forever.

He felt the Chakra signature of the two Uchihas, turning to greet them as they jumped down into the clearing. He watched them for a few seconds before he smiled at them, watching relief fill their faces.

He had completed his first objective in this alternate reality. There were many more to come.

**Author's Note:**

> (1) Yeah, this will be cleared in later chapters. But Naruto's an ANBU cuz why not?  
> (2) Yes, the war starts when he's 14/15 in this fic. So he's basically younger than Shisui.


End file.
